Lusaka road works start

By CATHERINE NYIRENDA – The road rehabilitation and construction that will change the landscape of Zambia’s capital city, and in the process helping to end traffic congestion, will start in two weeks. The Road Development Agency (RDA), in collaboration with Lusaka City Council (LCC), announced yesterday that the works would involve 408 kilometres of Lusaka roads and would be completed in 43 months. The commencement of the project follows the conclusion of designs by the contractor and consultants. RDA and the council have since appealed to car-wash owners, traders and others currently operating within the road reserve to vacate the areas to enable the road contractor to carry out the works. RDA chief executive officer Bernard Chiwala announced in a statement in Lusaka yesterday that the contractor, AVIC international project Engineering Company had since mobilised equipment. He said phase one of the project would include the expansion of the 12.12-kilometre stretch of Burma road from Independence Avenue to Kasama road junction, the expansion of Mumbwa road from Lumumba road junction to a stretch of 9.41 kilometres. The expansion of the 2.19-kilometre Thabo Mbeki road from Alick Nkhata junction to Arcades roundabout and the expansion of the 6.74-kilometre stretch of Independence Avenue. Mr Chiwala said the subsequent phases would involve the construction, rehabilitation and improvement of more than 300 kilometres of residential roads and bus routes, 45 kilometres of the industrial and collector roads, and 10 junctions to improve traffic flow. Others would include construction, rehabilitation and improvement of 19 bus bays, one interchange on Great East road and street lighting of selected roads. RDA and the LCC appealed to the general public to exercise patience and give the contractor